Canadian fighter Aaron Jeffery faced off against Douglas "The Phenom" Lima from Atlanta at Pechanga Arena in San Diego on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Jeffery, seeking a takedown, secured a victory by unanimous decision on the Bellator Champions Series card. The fight was part of the MMA event organized by the Professional Fighters League. (Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-PFL, Photo by Cooper Neill).
Canadian middleweight fighter Aaron Jeffery is inching closer to a coveted Bellator title shot after securing a unanimous decision victory over former three-time welterweight champion Douglas (The Phenom) Lima on Saturday night. The 31-year-old Tillsonburg, Ontario native earned the win with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28 in his favour.
Jeffery's strength and grappling skills were on full display as he dominated much of the fight in a clinch, preventing Lima, a seasoned Atlanta-based Brazilian fighter, from using his formidable striking abilities. Throughout the match, Jeffery connected with a total of 144 strikes, 74 of which came on the ground, and managed to land four successful takedowns. In contrast, Lima registered 90 strikes during the contest.
The fight, held at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, was part of Bellator's new Champions Series, which showcases title fights in each event. This series marks a new era for the promotion following its acquisition by the Professional Fighters League (PFL) last November. The Champions Series kicked off in March in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and has since continued to feature exciting matchups.
Despite his impressive victory, Jeffery had to contend with some boos from the audience, offering a cheeky one-finger salute and a smile in response. The fight was closely contested at short range, which may have frustrated some spectators hoping for more action-packed exchanges.
Jeffery, now boasting a record of 15-5-0, is setting his sights on the Bellator middleweight champion, Johnny (Pressure) Eblen. However, he will need to wait for his chance as Eblen is scheduled to face England's Fabian (The Assassin) Edwards in an upcoming title defence. Notably, Edwards had previously defeated Jeffery in about earlier this year.
Jeffery started the fight strong, pushing the pace early and securing a takedown within the first 30 seconds. However, the exchange came at a cost, as Jeffery suffered a cut that left him bleeding. Nevertheless, he continued to press forward, dominating Lima against the fence and securing another takedown in the final moments of the opening round.
In the second round, Lima briefly shook Jeffery with a stiff left jab that momentarily buckled the Canadian's legs. However, Jeffery quickly recovered, resuming his aggressive grappling strategy and keeping Lima on the defensive. Although Lima managed to avoid further takedowns in the round, his striking offense remained limited, with his jab standing out as the most impactful moment.
The third round saw Jeffery continue his relentless pursuit of takedowns. He successfully brought Lima down once again and finished the fight by delivering strikes from above, solidifying his control throughout the bout.
This victory marks an important step forward for Jeffery, who had previously lost to Edwards in a middleweight title eliminator. Although he hoped to challenge Eblen for the title earlier this year, the unbeaten champion was instead booked for a Champions vs. Champions matchup in Saudi Arabia, where he secured a split-decision win over Impa Kasanganay.
Douglas Lima, meanwhile, was also seeking to reestablish himself as a title contender, this time in the middleweight division. The 36-year-old Brazilian veteran, who has been a staple of Bellator since his debut in 2011, was coming off a unanimous decision victory over Costello van Steenis in May 2023. However, his loss to Jeffery has now dropped his Bellator record to 15-8-0.
While Lima holds notable wins over fighters like Rory MacDonald, Andrey Koreshkov, and Michael Page, his career has hit a challenging period in recent years, including a four-fight losing streak before his last victory.
In addition to his fighting accomplishments, Aaron Jeffery has gained attention for his signature mullet hairstyle, which became a talking point ahead of his bout with Edwards. Outside the cage, Jeffery holds a medical sciences degree from Brock University and runs a nutrition consulting business, showcasing his diverse skill set beyond the world of mixed martial arts.
